Service Delivery Manager Support / Complementary Learning Op

Spektrum supports apex purchasers (NATO, UN, EU, and National Government and Defence) and their Tier 1 supplier ecosystem with a wide range of specialist services. We provide our clients with professional services, specialised aerospace and defence sales, delivery, and operational subject matter expertise. We are looking for personnel to join our team and support key client projects.

Who we are supporting 

The NATO Communication and Information Agency (NCIA) is responsible for providing secure and effective communications and information technology (IT) services to NATO's member countries and its partners. The agency was established in 2012 and is headquartered in Brussels, Belgium.

The NCIA provides a wide range of services, including:

• Cyber Security: The NCIA provides advanced cybersecurity solutions to protect NATO's communication networks and information systems against cyber threats.
• Command and Control Systems: The NCIA develops and maintains the systems used by NATO's military commanders to plan and execute operations.
• Satellite Communications: The NCIA provides satellite communications services to enable secure and reliable communications between NATO forces.
• Electronic Warfare: The NCIA provides electronic warfare services to support NATO's mission to detect, deny, and defeat threats to its communication networks.
• Information Management: The NCIA manages NATO's information technology infrastructure, including its databases, applications, and servers.

Overall, the NCIA plays a critical role in ensuring the security and effectiveness of NATO's communication and information technology capabilities.

The program

Assistance and Advisory Service (AAS)

The NATO Communications and Information Agency (NCI Agency) is NATO’s principal C3 capability deliverer and CIS service provider. It provides, maintains and defends the NATO enterprise-wide information technology infrastructure to enable Allies to consult together under Article IV, and, when required, stand together in the face of attack under Article V.

To provide these critical services, in the modern evolving dynamic environment the NCI Agency needs to build and maintain high performance-engaged workforce. The NCI Agency workforce strategically consists of three major categorise's: NATO International Civilians (NIC)'s, Military (Mil), and Interim Workforce Consultants (IWC)'s. The IWCs are a critical part of the overall NCI Agency workforce and make up approximately 15 percent of the total workforce.

Role Background

The NATO Communications and Information Academy (NCI Academy) located in Portugal, Belgium and The Netherlands reinforces NATO’s technological edge through excellence in Cyberspace learning.

The NCI Academy has the Academy Learning Environment, which is the toolset associated with all back-end learning and development activities, the transfer of knowledge from trainers to students and the support of the student learning process. To secure the Academy Learning Environment, there is a team responsible for all activities related to the operation and maintenance of this infrastructure. In addition to setting up courses, maintaining them and deploying them as they iterate, the team is also responsible for running projects to ensure that the Academy Learning Environment is state of the art.

The Business Management Department (BMD) is led by the Business Manager who is accountable to the Director for developing, maintaining and prioritising the Business portfolio and the planning of all Academy business. The BMD function ensures that the Academy revenue and resourcing are balanced and adequate to address the NATO Enterprise and NCI Agency Corporate requirements. This department manages all agreements with customers, Operation Level Agreements (OLAs) with Service lines and business arrangements for Education and Individual Training services and projects. The Business Manager supports the Director, who is the service owner, with relevant data to ensure the Academy will remain in the remits of funding. Learning Design and Development functions are also delivered by the Business Management Department. The Business Management Department consists of three Branches, which are Strategic Engagements & Opportunities; Project, Service and Product Management; and Learning Design & Development. The department also plays a key role in Agency and NATO-wide innovation in the E&T domain.

The Projects, Services and Product management branch (BSPB) manages, develops and reports on all Academy projects and services and supports Academy resource management. The branch manages Academy agreements with customers and internal to the Agency and defines the pricing and the quantitative requirement for Academy courses. The branch drives gradual transition to product management and is the centre of knowledge for business applications such as ServiceNow, EBA, JIRA and the business module of Training Management System (TMS).

The Strategic Engagement branch engages with stakeholders to provide strategic support to the implementation of the NCI Academy strategy and consolidate internal and external inputs for its sustainment and evolution. The branch provides the secretariat for the Academy board and leads on strategic communication. The branch leads the implementation of selected strategic initiatives such as the Complementary Learning Opportunities 

Role Duties and Responsibilities

• Orchestrate the delivery of the Complementary Learning Opportunities (CLO) service across the NATO Enterprise in accordance with the service levels defined in the service model and supporting documentation (Service Design Package / Service Delivery Plan, service description, catalogue of services, etc.) and relevant service provisioning agreements both internal and external to the Agency;
• Responsible for the definition, execution and satisfactory completion of assigned projects/services, including preparation and submission of a Price Proposal, support in the release of Contractual Package, contribute to Source Selection process according to the defined procurement strategy (either as evaluator or as Project Evaluation Chairperson for simple procurement) , and monitor, manage, and control the project through to completion;
• Provide effective leadership to the project team; in particular, capture appropriate resource plans required to support the project;
• Support the service delivery effort to put the right tools, processes, resources (including funds) in place for the successful delivery and reporting of the CLO service;
• Support development and staffing of the service rates and the execution of the overall service budget, making sure the service budget is used effectively and efficiently within the scope of the service;
• Take responsibility for the definition, execution and satisfactory completion of medium-scale projects, including the identification, assessment and management of risks and issues related to the project;
• Ensure that realistic project plans are maintained and that there is regular and accurate communication to stakeholders;
• Take responsibility for understanding customer requirements, collecting data, delivering analysis and problem resolution;
• Ensure project deliverables are completed within agreed cost, schedule and quality and are signed off, including management of any change requests using appropriate processes;
• Provide monthly report to his/her Projects Portfolio Manager using Agency reporting tool/framework;
• Collaborate with, and facilitates stakeholder groups, as part of formal or informal consultancy agreements;
• Serve as the liaison across all Agency functional elements and external stakeholders required to enable the service provision;
• Responsible for the resource management within the allocated service budget (incl. the creation of Purchase Requisitions through to the receipting and control of the time accounting for resources supporting delivery of the service.);
• Contribute to the service lifecycle processes in accordance with Agency policy and procedures;
• Contribute to and maintain service related documents (e.g. Service Delivery Plans, service definition in the service catalogue, service-related processes, etc);
• Manage support contracts with industry;
• Identify delivery issues and ways to reduce costs without affecting the quality of the CLO Delivery service to the customer;
• Contribute to NCI Academy customer engagement activities (conferences, workshops, meetings);
• Support the day-to-day operation of NCI Academy business activities and further development;
• Daily use of available tools: SNOW, EBA, JIRA, TMS, SP for service management and reporting.

Essential Skills and Experience

• Proven experience of service or project management including resource management (people, budgets, time, etc.) in a training environment;
• A recognized formal Project Management qualification, such as PRINCE2 or PMP. The lack of formal qualifications can be compensated by the demonstration of expertise and experience in the domain;
• Prior experience of Agile project management;
• Prior experience of Business Development;
• Proven analytical skills to produce meaningful business intelligence for decision makers using BI tools such as PowerBI;
• Proven experience in customer focused roles and customers relationship management, including excellent communication skills;
• Excellent Microsoft Office skills and in particular advance Microsoft Excel skills.

Desirable Skills and Experience

• Practical experience in working for other NATO agencies or organizations;
• Prior experience of working in an international environment comprising both military and civilian elements;
• Prior experience in engagement techniques, survey management and data analysis;
• Knowledge of NATO responsibilities and organization, including ACO and ACT;
• Excellent understanding of NCI Agency processes and procedures relating initiating and staffing projects in the NCI Agency (E.g. Customer Request Forms, Request to Proposals, Price Proposals, EBA, etc.);
• Evidence of prior experience and in-depth knowledge of the ServiceNow Project Management tool;
• Prior experience and in-depth knowledge of the NCI Agency Enterprise Business Applications (EBA);
• Prior experience of the NCI Agency Training Management System (TMS);
• Prior experience in JIRA;
• Prior experience in MS VISIO;
• Prior experience of Business Relationship Management;
• Prior experience of Design & Creative Thinking;
• Prior experience of Lean 6 Sigma principles.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field with 2+ years of experience OR 6+ years of relevant experience without a degree;

Language Proficiency

• Business English

Working Location

• Oeiras, Portugal

Working Policy

• On-Site

Travel

• Some travel to other NATO sites may be required

Security Clearance

• Valid National or NATO Secret personal security clearance